What Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes Want Healthcare Teams to Know

Pregnancy with Type 1 diabetes demands constant attention to blood sugar management—work that often goes unseen by family, friends, and even some healthcare providers. A new qualitative study of 18 pregnant women in the CIRCUIT trial reveals that this day-to-day labor can feel profoundly isolating.

Most participants described their diabetes management as something they handled largely on their own, despite the emotional weight it carried. Part of that isolation stems from limited understanding in their personal networks. Few people outside the diabetes and pregnancy care communities recognize how much ongoing effort is required, or how much stress it creates.

When asked about closed-loop insulin delivery systems, study participants repeatedly described the technology as transformative for managing their Type 1 diabetes during and after pregnancy. Closed-loop systems work by automating insulin adjustments based on continuous glucose readings, removing some of the manual decision-making burden.

However, the study found that successful use of closed-loop technology depended critically on support from the healthcare team. Women emphasized that they could not have made the transition to this technology—or used it effectively—without help and guidance from their care providers. This underscores that new technologies are only as useful as the support system surrounding them.

Across all interviews, one theme emerged consistently: the importance of maintaining control over personal treatment decisions. For these women, control meant being active partners in their own care, not passive recipients of instructions.

This desire for autonomy was closely tied to a fundamental goal: achieving the best possible blood sugar management for their baby's health. When women felt they had lost control—or feared they might—anxiety spiked significantly. Conversely, when they felt heard and involved in treatment planning, stress levels improved.

Perhaps the most actionable finding from this study is that support—from partners, care coordinators, diabetes educators, and obstetricians—meaningfully reduced the stress and isolation women experienced. Those who had strong relationships with their healthcare teams reported better emotional outcomes.

A notable challenge emerged when maternity care providers had limited knowledge of Type 1 diabetes. These encounters sometimes left women feeling unsupported or misunderstood at a time when they needed the most reassurance. The study suggests there may be value in bridging communication between diabetes specialists and intrapartum care teams to ensure pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes receive coordinated, knowledgeable care.

Source: Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association. Evidence type: PubMed indexed literature. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.